This invention relates to devices for remote answering of a door.
In present times, answering the call of someone at a door of a dwelling can present a security risk to an occupant of the dwelling. Opening the door can provide an opportunity for an intruder to force entry into the dwelling by overcoming the occupant opening the door.
To avoid opening the door when someone calls, devices have been provided to enable intercom communication between the person calling and the occupant of the dwelling. In apartments, for example it is known to employ a device which causes the occupant's telephone to sound a distinctive ring in response to a caller ringing a doorbell. The occupant can then press a key on the dial pad of the telephone and in response, the device actuates a door latch to allow the caller to enter. Thus, communication between the occupant of the dwelling and the caller is established.
However, when the occupant of the dwelling is not home, a person calling at the door may deduce that no one is home, if there is no answer from the intercom and, therefore, may decide to break in. Furthermore, if cleaning personnel attend the door or if a delivery is being made, such persons cannot gain access to the dwelling when there is no one in the dwelling to answer the door.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a device which would allow a person in a remote location to converse with a caller at the door and to actuate a door latch to enable a person at the door to gain access to the dwelling. The present invention addresses this need.